No team has ever overturned a first-leg 4-0 defeat in a Champions League knockout tie, but that is the task in front of Barcelona on Wednesday night.
Indeed, Paris Saint-Germain will visit Camp Nou boasting a four-goal advantage from the first leg of their last-16 tie in Paris, and the French champions will be looking to complete the job with minimal fuss.
Barcelona
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Barcelona have progressed past the last-16 stage of the Champions League in each of the last nine campaigns, but that record is under severe threat this season ahead of the second leg against PSG. Many tipped the Spanish champions to be too strong for the rest of the competition this term, but they were seriously humbled when they travelled to Paris on February 14.
The La Liga side breezed into the round of 16 after topping Group C with 15 points – winning five of their six matches to finish six clear of Manchester City. PSG were not exactly favourable opposition in the first knockout round, but few would have predicted what happened when they met in Paris last month.
PSG outfought and outclassed their opponents as a double from Angel di Maria and goals from Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani secured a strong advantage. The situation is not quite terminal, though, and Barcelona have won all three of their home Champions League fixtures with a goal difference of plus 15. Meanwhile, they have won their last 14 Champions League games on home soil, all since Luis Enrique took charge.
Since losing at PSG, Barcelona have actually won all four of their league matches to top La Liga ahead of Real Madrid. They struggled past Leganes on February 19, but have been brilliant in their last three – winning 2-1 at Atletico Madrid, before thumping Sporting Gijon 6-1 and Celta Vigo 5-0 on home soil.
Indeed, Barcelona's performance against Celta on Saturday was arguably their finest of the season, and a repeat of that scoreline would see them secure a remarkable turnaround. Any team that boasts a front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez simply cannot be written off, even in this tie.
Barcelona's 4-0 defeat in the first leg actually equalled their heaviest defeat in European competition after losing 7-0 on aggregate to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the 2012-13 campaign. The Spanish outfit have a strong record against French sides at Camp Nou, however, winning seven of their 10 previous meetings and only suffering one defeat.
Of the 26 European ties where Barcelona lost the first leg away from home, they have advanced on 12 occasions. Taking everything into consideration, that is a very impressive record. As mentioned, however, overcoming a 4-0 first-leg defeat has never been done in this competition. It might well be a record-breaking night at Camp Nou.
Recent form: WWLWWL
Recent form (all competitions): WLWWWW
PSG
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PSG have gone past the last-16 stage in each of their previous four Champions League campaigns, but have always been knocked out in the quarter-finals. A spot in the final eight this season is all but secure, and overcoming a team of the calibre of Barcelona would send out a message to the rest of the competition.
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, with the bookmakers at least, are still seen as the favourites to win the competition this season, but PSG's result in the first leg made the whole of Europe stand up and take notice. Dominant at home, suddenly PSG are being taken seriously as challengers for the top prize in European football.
Unai Emery's side comfortably qualified for the knockout stage this season, but they relinquished first position in Group A to Arsenal, who drew Bayern Munich, after a surprise 2-2 draw at home to Ludogorets in their final group-stage fixture.
Three wins and three draws saw PSG go through Group A unbeaten, but they drew both games against Arsenal and their misgivings from previous seasons were on display in both of their fixtures with the Gunners. Barcelona were seen as the big favourites to advance from this two-legged affair when the tie was announced, but the French champions were tactically excellent on home soil last month.
PSG have won 12 of the 16 European ties where they won the first leg at home, including in last season's round of 16 against Chelsea. They have also won on four of their 12 visits to Spain in European competition, and have a lot of room for manoeuvre at Camp Nou on Wednesday night.
Emery's side will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 win over Nancy at the weekend, with Cavani scoring the only goal of the match late on. Emery's side are not currently top of Ligue 1, however, with AS Monaco sitting three points clear of the reigning champions at the top of the division.
Barcelona might have Messi, Neymar and Suarez, but in Cavani, PSG have a striker in serious form. The Uruguay international has seven goals in as many Champions League games this season, and 37 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions. If PSG can find just one goal at Camp Nou, the tie will surely be over.
Recent form: WWWDDW
Recent form (all competitions): WWDWWW
Team News
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Javier Mascherano is back with the Barcelona squad following a groin problem, but the Argentine is expected to start on the bench as Samuel Umtiti continues alongside Gerard Pique at centre-back.
Andres Iniesta, meanwhile, should replace Rafinha in the middle of the park, with Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic also making up the Barcelona midfield.
Aleix Vidal and Jeremy Mathieu are both out injured, but Enrique has a decision to make at left-back as he ponders over selecting either Lucas Digne or Jordi Alba.
As for PSG, a calf problem is once again expected to keep former Barcelona midfielder Thiago Motta on the sidelines, but Thiago Silva is now fit after missing the first leg through injury.
Blaise Matuidi and Draxler both started on the bench against Nancy at the weekend, but the pair are expected to return alongside Di Maria, who scored a brace in the first leg at Parc des Princes.
Marquinhos is also expected to start despite being one booking away from a ban, meaning that 21-year-old Presnel Kimpembe, who made his Champions League debut in the first leg, should start on the bench.
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic; Neymar, Suarez, Messi
PSG possible starting lineup:
Trapp; Meunier, Silva, Marquinhos, Kurzawa; Matuidi, Rabiot, Verratti; Draxler, Cavani, Di Maria
Head To Head
Wednesday will bring the 11th meeting between PSG and Barcelona in European competition. Barcelona lead the head-to-head four wins to PSG's three, while the remaining three fixtures have finished level.
As discussed, the first leg in Paris last month ended in a 4-0 PSG victory as a double from Di Maria and goals from Draxler and Cavani secured a strong advantage ahead of the return leg at Camp Nou.
Their last meeting – before the first leg - came at the quarter-final stage of the 2014-15 campaign and it was the Spanish giants that triumphed 5-1 on aggregate.
Barcelona also knocked PSG out at the quarter-final stage of the 2012-13 season. Indeed, the only time that PSG have eliminated the Spanish giants in the Champions League was during the 1994-95 season, when they won 3-2 on aggregate at the quarter-final stage.
We say: Barcelona 3-1 PSG
Barcelona were excellent against Celta at the weekend and if they can match that performance, PSG could be in trouble. A four-goal turnaround is almost impossible at this level, however, and we are backing the French champions to advance into the quarter-finals despite suffering a defeat on the night.
Matt Law
